Chapter 1. Diversity and trends of marine ecosystems in the tropical Atlantic

Introduction Marine ecosystems are made up of a mosaic of interconnected subsystems. Physics determines the exchanges between these subsystems (for example, how the productivity generated in a given area influences mangroves that may be separated by a distance of tens or hundreds of kilometres, or the transport of larvae from hatching areas to nurseries), and complex hydrological and environmental processes influence the lifecycle of marine species, governing their spatiotemporal distribution..